ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 11, 2012)

Resting in Faith

Romans 4:13-25

"...being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised." 

(ROMANS 4:21)

When I was a child, a neighbor tried to teach me to swim. I could kick my legs and move my arms but my trust was totally in her arms holding me up in the water. A few years later a friend who had just learned to swim told me, "The water will hold you up." What a revelation that was! Did she mean I would not sink? I pushed with my feet from the bottom of the pool toward the edge and discovered it was true. I was floating! I had no idea how it worked, but once I knew the water could support me, I could swim. 

Satan doesn't want us to be confident that God is able and willing to meet all our needs, to support us through every circumstance. Whether we can "touch bottom" or are in situations way over our heads, God will never leave us. His goodness and grace keep us afloat from one year to the next. We need to know that in our heads and in our hearts. With that confidence and faith, we are carried along in our walk with Christ, able to take our focus off of our daunting circumstances and onto Jesus.

INSIGHT

WHAT A BLESSEDNESS, WHAT A PEACE IS MINE, LEANING ON THE EVERLASTING ARMS. 

(ELISHA A. HOFFMAN, 1887)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR

Genesis 43-44 

Psalm 22 

Mark 2

Romans 4:13-25

New International Version (NIV)

13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.

16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[a] He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[b] 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Footnotes:

a. Romans 4:17 Gen. 17:5

b. Romans 4:18 Gen. 15:5

DEALING WITH DEPRESSION [PART 2]

with Dr. Ed Welch

January is often cited as the most depressing month of the year. The weather is dreary and New Year's resolutions are failing. Tune in today to learn more about how Christians can face depression. 

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 10, 2012)

The Word Brings Life

Mark 4:3-20.


"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow..."
(HEBREWS 4:12A)

A limestone gorge borders our village. Cedar trees grow on top of the cliffs wherever they can find enough soil to live. In several places you can see where a seed has lodged deep in a crack in the rock and sent out roots seeking nutrients and moisture. The main stem grows up toward the light at the surface of the rock, and eventually a mature tree develops. It's not uncommon for large sections of rock to break away from the face of the cliff, leaving the root system of a cedar exposed. The roots produced by that tiny seed combined with moisture and frost can split the thick, stalwart limestone.

The circumstances of life for many of us may seem as formidable as that limestone wall. Jesus told us the Word of God is like a seed (Luke 8:11), a small thing by appearance but with powerful authority in it. When God's Word takes root in our hearts, is watered with prayer and nurtured by faith, we face our great difficulties with Jesus, the all-powerful One. The life-giving Word is embodied in Him.

INSIGHT
WE MAY PLANT THE SEED OF FAITH, AND OTHERS MAY WATER IT. BUT ONLY GOD MAKES IT GROW!
(SEE 1 CORINTHIANS 3:6-7)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 41-42
Psalm 21
Mark 1


Mark 4:3-20
New International Version (NIV)
3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”
9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that,
“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’[a]”
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
Footnotes:
a. Mark 4:12 Isaiah 6:9,10


DEALING WITH DEPRESSION [PART 1]
with Dr. Ed Welch

It comes unexpectedly and can last an entire lifetime. Depression is a serious issue that affects all of humanity - even Christians.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 9, 2012)

Extending Mercy

1 Peter 1



"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
(LAMENTATIONS 3:22-23)

Over the years many wonderful children in the library club helped with routine tasks. They enjoyed rewards for service and had fun working together - except for two boys who joined one school term. They quarreled every time they came, and I was ready to ask them to leave if they couldn't get along. I don't recall how we solved the problem, but I haven't forgotten the Holy Spirit revealing that I needed to thank the Lord that He didn't ask His children to stop coming around when we persist in disagreeing. Those two boys were a poignant reminder of the sin rooted deep within and of the mercy the Lord extends to us all.

Morning by morning, from one year to the next, the Lord's compassion is renewed to us. It stretches beyond the limits of human love, forgiving again and again. By God's grace instead of judging and condemning, a single act of mercy may be what is needed to secure a fellow traveler who might otherwise despair. After all, Jesus' great act of mercy at the cross is what saves you and me today.


INSIGHT
MORNING BY MORNING NEW MERCIES I SEE;/ ALL I HAVE NEEDED THY HAND HATH PROVIDED,/ GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS, LORD, UNTO ME!
(T. O. CHISHOLM, 1923)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 39-40
Psalm 20
Matthew 28

1 Peter 1
New International Version (NIV)
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Praise to God for a Living Hope
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
Be Holy
13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”[a]
17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.[b] 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For,
“All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”[c]
And this is the word that was preached to you.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Peter 1:16 Lev. 11:44,45; 19:2
b. 1 Peter 1:22 Some early manuscripts from a pure heart
c. 1 Peter 1:25 Isaiah 40:6-8 (see Septuagint)


THE BIBLE IN 90 DAYS
with Kristin Schell

It fails to make the lists - like losing weight or saving money. Yet it's a longing in every Christian, to read the Bible - all the way through. It is possible and it's not as hard as you may think.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 8, 2012)

The Power Hook-up

Acts 16:16-34


"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name."
(HEBREWS 13:15)

If you've ever tried to row a small boat with one oar, you know the boat just turns in circles. Steady pulling on two oars moves the craft toward your destination. James stated that, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16b). What a wonder that we have direct continual access to almighty God for help in any circumstance! Prayer is certainly more beneficial than one oar in a rowboat. Yet when prayer and praise are combined, the benefit is like pulling on two oars.

Paul taught the believers at Thessalonica to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). He and Silas surely prayed as they stood before the magistrates, were beaten and thrown into prison. God gave them strength to look beyond their pain and the discomfort of their feet in stocks to their ultimate victory in Christ. In their darkest hour they combined prayer and praise. The prison doors opened; everyone's chains were loosed. The same supernatural power of God that set them free is freeing us, too.

INSIGHT
"ENTER HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING AND HIS COURTS WITH PRAISE."
(PSALM 100:4A)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 37-38
Psalm 19
Matthew 27


Acts 16:16-34
New International Version (NIV)
Paul and Silas in Prison
16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.
19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”
22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.


THE BIBLE IN 90 DAYS
with Kristin Schell

It fails to make the lists - like losing weight or saving money. Yet it's a longing in every Christian, to read the Bible - all the way through. It is possible and it's not as hard as you may think.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 7, 2012)

Follow the Compass

2 Chronicles 20:1-22



"We have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."
(2 CHRONICLES 20:12)

The calendar has turned to a new year; several months of unknowns lie ahead. On every day of our faith journey, we find ourselves going where we've never been before. Sometimes we're tempted to chart our own course, assuming we know the way; or we may presume to suggest solutions to God in our prayer times until we realize only He knows all the issues and variables involved. Jehoshaphat acknowledged Judah's need of divine intervention. He called the nation to pray and fast. God took ownership of this battle for His people, and Jehoshaphat's troops were spectators.

At times our lives can become like the mystery tours some thrive on. Most would rather know the itinerary in advance. Believers know their ultimate destination, though not all the routes and stops of the exciting journey. The compass needle indicates which direction to travel. If we think we recognize a landmark and ignore God's directions, we may find ourselves traveling in circles instead of progressing on course to a fabulous destiny.

INSIGHT
WHAT A PRIVILEGE TO CARRY/ EV'RYTHING TO GOD IN PRAYER!
(JOSEPH SCRIVEN, 1855)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 35-36
Psalm 18
Matthew 26

2 Chronicles 20:1-22
New Living Translation (NLT)
War with Surrounding Nations
20 After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites[a] declared war on Jehoshaphat. 2 Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army from Edom[b] is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea.[c] They are already at Hazazon-tamar.” (This was another name for En-gedi.)
3 Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. 4 So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord’s help.
5 Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah and Jerusalem in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the Lord. 6 He prayed, “O Lord, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you! 7 O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people Israel arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? 8 Your people settled here and built this Temple to honor your name. 9 They said, ‘Whenever we are faced with any calamity such as war,[d] plague, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where your name is honored. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us.’
10 “And now see what the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir are doing. You would not let our ancestors invade those nations when Israel left Egypt, so they went around them and did not destroy them. 11 Now see how they reward us! For they have come to throw us out of your land, which you gave us as an inheritance. 12 O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”
13 As all the men of Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones, wives, and children, 14 the Spirit of the Lord came upon one of the men standing there. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite who was a descendant of Asaph.
15 He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!”
18 Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the Lord. 19 Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout.
20 Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”
21 After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang:
“Give thanks to the Lord;
his faithful love endures forever!”
22 At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.


THE VEIL REMOVED

So much in the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament. How does the veil that Moses wore in the book of Exodus relate to the transfiguration of Jesus in the Gospels?

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 6, 2012)

Delete the Distractions

Hebrews 12:1-11


"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..."
(HEBREWS 12:2A)

Have you ever had plans to complete a certain task on a particular day only to find several other things that needed doing before you even started the one you intended to tackle? Familiar story to you? Many of you know that it can feel nearly impossible to focus only on the most important task.

The Lord Jesus said to seek the kingdom of God first (Matthew 6:33). He knows every responsibility and obligation each of us has. This Word of God promises that if knowing and doing God's will and glorifying Him is what matters most to us, all our other needs will be met. When we use our time, talents and finances as He directs, somehow we still have the time and money to do the things we could have chosen to do first.

The One who holds our times in His hands knows the future. Doesn't that make Him the perfect One to guide us through each day of this coming year? The crowd of spectators in heaven is cheering as we shake off everything that is not significant in our quest and determine to focus on Jesus.


INSIGHT
THE WORLD IS CONSTANTLY TELLING US TO "FOLLOW OUR DREAMS." BUT THE BIBLE URGES US TO FOLLOW JESUS!

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 33-34
Psalm 17
Matthew 25

Hebrews 12:1-11
New Living Translation (NLT)
God’s Discipline Proves His Love
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.[a] Because of the joy[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people;[c] then you won’t become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children?[d] He said,
“My child,[e] don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and don’t give up when he corrects you.
6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”[f]
7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?[g]
10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way


FAITH STARTS IN THE WILDERNESS

We usually hear the message we want to hear rather than the message we need to hear. Have you heard the true message of the Gospel? It always calls the sinner to repent.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 5, 2012)

Strengthened by Joy

John 15: 9-17


"Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
(NEHEMIAH 8:10B)

The greatest joy of the believer is to have found the way, the truth and the life. In this world's maze of false doctrines, to have discovered the skinny trail of truth that leads to life is phenomenal. And it's not just existence, but abundant life along the way.

The environment and the experiences prepared for the ones who love God are more wonderful than we can imagine. No blessing we may enjoy in this life can begin to compare with the amazing one that is ours for eternity in God's presence where there is fullness of joy. To be bursting with joy will not be more than our immortal bodies can handle. Even that is taken care of!

We know our unrelenting enemy will do all he can to get us off track, but the Lord Jesus encourages us to know and obey His commands, trust and remain in His love so that complete joy may be ours - joy on the inside to help us through difficulties now even as we anticipate joy for eternity. Remember throughout the coming year that the joy of the Lord is your strength.

INSIGHT
IT IS JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY,
OH, THE HALF HAS NEVER YET BEEN TOLD.
(BARNEY E. WARREN, 1900)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 31-32
Psalm 16
Matthew 24

John 15:9-17
New International Version (NIV)
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.


THE POWER OF RITUAL

What is a ritual? We often think of a ritual as something we do robotically, but have you ever thought of communion as a ritual given to us by Christ?

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 4, 2012)

Trials and Temptations

James 1:1-18

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear." 

(1 CORINTHIANS 10:13)

Physical fitness programs are popular these days (and especially when the New Year rolls around!). We spend much time and money for our rigorous training regimes. Does the same attitude prevail toward training in spiritual fitness? Probably not, though our spiritual condition will take us into eternity. 

A qualified trainer is an asset to a person trying to "get in shape." For our spiritual fitness, nothing could surpass having the precious Holy Spirit alongside. He doesn't find fault. He shows the best way to tackle each challenge. He knows what we are capable of. And even when it seems the struggle will not end, the Holy Spirit will always provide a way out so that we can stand up under the trial (v. 13b). Our trials and temptations will not outlast the faithfulness and compassion of Jesus. 

For now, James' instruction to "consider it pure joy...whenever you face trials" may be a stretch. But even when our stamina fades and we feel like giving up, we know that our loving Savior is faithful.

INSIGHT

"BUT THANKS BE TO GOD!

HE GIVES US THE VICTORY THROUGH OUR

LORD JESUS CHRIST." 

(1 CORINTHIANS 15:57)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR

Genesis 29-30 

Psalm 15 

Matthew 23

James 1:1-18

New Living Translation (NLT)

Greetings from James

1 This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I am writing to the “twelve tribes”—Jewish believers scattered abroad.

Greetings!

Faith and Endurance

2 Dear brothers and sisters,[a] when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

9 Believers who are[b] poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. 10 And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. 11 The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.

12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong,[c] and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

16 So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.[d] He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.[e] 18 He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.[f]

Footnotes:

a. James 1:2 Greek brothers; also in 1:16, 19.

b. James 1:9 Greek The brother who is.

c. James 1:13 Or God should not be put to a test by evil people.

d. James 1:17 Greek from above, from the Father of lights.

e. James 1:17 Some manuscripts read He never changes, as a shifting shadow does.

f. James 1:18 Greek we became a kind of firstfruit of his creatures.

COME TO ME

There are many things in this world that can wear us down and leave us exhausted. Only by following Christ can we truly know the relief that comes from taking on His yoke to find rest for our souls. 

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 3, 2012)

Philippians 3:7-21



"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
(PHILIPPIANS 3:14)

Saul, the young man who was to become the Apostle Paul, knew what it was to strive to please God by fulfilling requirements of the religion in which he'd been raised. He vigorously opposed anything that was outside of his system of beliefs. All that was so important to him fell away when he met the risen Christ. He had studied about God. But then he met his living Lord.

The religion that once had spawned Saul's hatred and persecution of those who did not conform took on a whole new dimension. The truths he had studied now came alive. He had met the One the prophets foretold, and his life was filled with joy and purpose. All that mattered was to know Christ and complete God's assignment. Until his death, Paul loved and served his Lord wholeheartedly.

God has a plan for each of us, too. How it unfolds may be as surprising and dramatic as the changes that came for Saul. On the other hand, His plan may be more subtle in our lives, unfolding with each New Year and drawing us closer to Jesus.

INSIGHT
TO KNOW AND SERVE THE LORD JESUS GIVES MEANING AND PURPOSE TO LIFE.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 27-28
Psalm 14
Matthew 22

Philippians 3:7-21
New International Version (NIV)
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Following Paul’s Example
15 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Footnotes:
a. Philippians 3:9 Or through the faithfulness of

AFTER JESUS WAS BORN

The nativity scene is put away and the decorations are coming down. January marks the end of the Christmas season. So why is it now appropriate to look at the story of the wise men? 

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 2, 2012)

The Perfect Pace

Colossians 1:1-14

"Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience..." 

(COLOSSIANS 1:11)

We read in Genesis 31-33 of Jacob's journey back to his homeland to be reunited with Esau, his brother. Through years of hard work and difficulty, God changed Jacob from the deceiver he was as a young man to a husband and father with growing responsibilities. Jacob met with God - even wrestled with Him - and was left a different man... still not perfect by any means, but a work in progress, God's man through whom His promises would continue. 

Our Father knows us better than we know ourselves. He may step in to slow us down when we rush into a venture with brazen confidence. He may nudge us forward when a task seems overwhelming. In every case He extends loving patience while we learn, guiding us with His wisdom until the work is complete. He led the children of Israel into the land He promised them little by little so they were prepared and equipped for each new development. We can slip our hand into His, receiving strength and direction for the New Year as He opens the way before us in His perfect time.

INSIGHT

OUR TIMES - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE - ARE IN HIS HANDS.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR

Genesis 25-26 

Psalm 13 

Matthew 21

Colossians 1:1-14

New International Version (NIV)

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters[a] in Christ:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father.[b]

Thanksgiving and Prayer

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant,[c] who is a faithful minister of Christ on our[d] behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[e] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[f] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Footnotes:

a. Colossians 1:2 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 4:15.

b. Colossians 1:2 Some manuscripts Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

c. Colossians 1:7 Or slave

d. Colossians 1:7 Some manuscripts your

e. Colossians 1:9 Or all spiritual wisdom and understanding

f. Colossians 1:12 Some manuscripts us

THE SOUND OF A TRUMPET

with Jerry Krueger

What do you think of when you hear a trumpet? It may bring to mind a horse race or a concert. But the Bible often associates trumpets with battles, kingship, or even judgment. 

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 1, 2012)

The Blessing of Forgiveness

Psalm 32


"Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered."
(PSALM 32:1)

When we're trying to pack for a trip, we know some things are essential. Without tickets or passports, for example, we might not be going anywhere!

Forgiveness is one of the essentials for our journey with Christ. It's comparable to our ticket to embark. Our new life with Christ begins with forgiveness, and we need to check it at every stage of the journey. We can't ignore turbulence, whether caused by our goofs in relationships or by offences against us. Either way, forgiveness restores a smooth flight. Jesus said, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you" (Matthew 6:14).

Paul warns us that failing to seek forgiveness or to extend it to others creates a weak spot that Satan could use to get us off course (2 Corinthians 2:11). To forgive ourselves and receive freedom from guilt and condemnation should also be part of the package. We have the privilege of going on an "all-inclusive" trip, all expenses paid by the precious blood of Jesus.

INSIGHT
HOW BLESSED ARE THEY WHOSE TRESPASS HAS FREELY BEEN FORGIVEN,
WHOSE SIN IS WHOLLY COVERED BEFORE THE SIGHT OF HEAVEN.
(PSALTER HYMNAL, 1912)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 24
Psalm 12
Matthew 19-20

Psalm 32
Of David. A maskil.[a]
1 Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.[b]
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the Lord’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.
11 Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 32:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
b. Psalm 32:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 5 and 7.


THE SOUND OF A TRUMPET
with Jerry Krueger

What do you think of when you hear a trumpet? It may bring to mind a horse race or a concert. But the Bible often associates trumpets with battles, kingship, or even judgment.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (OCTOBER 30, 2012)

Receiving Sight

John 9



"One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"
(JOHN 9:25B)



Jesus gave a man who was born blind the physical ability to see. Soon after, Jesus also gave him spiritual sight revealing that Jesus was the Son of Man. Without hesitation the man worshipped Him. The Pharisees refused to believe that the man had been blind and could now see, just as they did not believe that Jesus was their Messiah. Maybe to them Jesus just seemed too good to be true. They refused to move beyond the limits of their natural reasoning to accept that what they most desired was right before them. The One who embodied all their hopes had come, yet they did not recognize Him. They could not see.

Paul taught the Corinthians about the inability to see spiritually. He said it was as if a veil covered the people's hearts so that their minds were dull. They did not have a revelation of the truth. "But," Paul said, "whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away" (2 Corinthians 3:16). Spiritually, we too were born blind. When we accept Jesus as Lord, our eyes are opened!


INSIGHT
"THE LORD GIVES
SIGHT TO THE BLIND."
(PSALM 146:8A)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 22-23
Psalm 11
Matthew 18

John 9
New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some claimed that he was.
Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”
But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”
10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.
11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”
12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.
“I don’t know,” he said.
The Pharisees Investigate the Healing
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”
16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”
But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.
17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”
The man replied, “He is a prophet.”
18 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”
20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”
25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
27 He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”
28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”
30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.
Spiritual Blindness
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
39 Jesus said,[a] “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”
41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
Footnotes:
a. John 9:39 Some early manuscripts do not have Then the man said … 39 Jesus said.


THE SOUND OF A TRUMPET
with Jerry Krueger

What do you think of when you hear a trumpet? It may bring to mind a horse race or a concert. But the Bible often associates trumpets with battles, kingship, or even judgment.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (OCTOBER 29, 2012)

From Darkness to Light

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11


"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
(COLOSSIANS 1:13)

In C. S. Lewis' The Silver Chair, the Earthmen lived in the darkness of the Deep Realm without hope of a new life in the Overworld. Until the evil power was destroyed, for them there were no sun, stars, or Overworld, although these did exist. The queen of the Deep Realm wanted her subjects to think that what they experienced was all there was.

Lewis reveals the temptation of any human heart - one regenerated in Jesus or not - to believe that our surface experiences are all that matter. Earthmen that we are, we often are busy, living daily with no expectation of anything more than this natural realm offers. And as there was for Lewis' characters, there is an intense battle for us to be delivered from the enemy's lies and to realize there is more than our physical senses reveal.

Jesus gave His life to free us from a dark, hopeless place. He said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). Will you walk in His light this New Year?

INSIGHT
THE WHOLE WORLD
WAS LOST IN THE
DARKNESS OF SIN,
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
IS JESUS!
(PHILIP P. BLISS, 1838-1876)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 18-19
Psalm 9
Matthew 14-15

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
New International Version (NIV)
The Day of the Lord
5 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.


STRUGGLING FOR A HUSBAND'S LOVE
with Greg Nance

Do you feel like you have to earn the love of your spouse? Maybe you feel like you have to earn God's love. In Genesis, Leah struggled for Jacob's love, but thankfully the love of the Lord is free.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (OCTOBER 28, 2012)

A New Mind

Philippians 4:4-9


"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
(ROMANS 12:2A)

The move from one culture to another involves many changes. In the spiritual realm, as new believers we welcome the transition from the kingdom of darkness to God's kingdom of light. We have stepped into an awesome new world. But, physically, we still live in this natural world where everything we're confronted with is definitely not of God.

Though we're aware of what is happening around us, our focus needn't be on the bad news. The Apostle Paul told Jesus' followers to think about admirable, excellent, praiseworthy things. That requires a deliberate choice to look beyond our difficult circumstances, knowing that better things are coming in the future with Christ. Even now we have the power of God moving on our behalf.

"Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think" (Romans 12:2, The New Living Translation). The way you think determines your actions. May your thoughts and actions spring from the goodness of Jesus who gave His admirable, excellent, praiseworthy life for you.

INSIGHT
"AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH TRANSCENDS ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS."
(PHILIPPIANS 4:7)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 16-17
Psalm 8
Matthew 13


Philippians 4:4-9
New International Version (NIV)
Final Exhortations
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.


FINDING JESUS IN JOSEPH
with Amy Gross

Can something good come out of evil? Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, but he responded by saving them from death. This is a beautiful picture of Jesus in the story of Joseph.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (OCTOBER 27, 2012)

Adopted

Ephesians 1:1-14



"He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will."
(EPHESIANS 1:5)

Think of an orphaned child welcomed into a caring family. The child may have survived alone for years. Now he is warm, fed, bathed, clothed, protected and loved. Before we receive Jesus as our Savior, spiritually we are orphaned. We're exposed to Satan's cruelty, buffeted by evil without defense. But after we've been adopted as sons of God through Jesus, Paul declares that we are redeemed, forgiven, blessed with every spiritual blessing, and guaranteed an inheritance.

Like the child whose life has been altered so drastically he can scarcely fathom his new circumstances, the one newly received into the family of God faces a huge learning curve. To realize he has the full rights of a child of God is mind-boggling. One day at a time the mercies and privileges that are now his unfold. And what an exciting revelation it is! There's no trial period to see whether he will measure up. He is embraced by the household and, like every other member, has access to unlimited resources to meet his every need.


INSIGHT
I'M SO GLAD I'M A PART OF THE FAMILY OF GOD.
(WILLIAM J. AND GLORIA GAITHER, 1970)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 14-15
Psalm 7
Matthew 12

Ephesians 1:1-14
New International Version (NIV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus,[a] the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he[b] predestined us for adoption to sonship[c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Footnotes:
a. Ephesians 1:1 Some early manuscripts do not have in Ephesus.
b. Ephesians 1:5 Or sight in love. 5 He
c. Ephesians 1:5 The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture.
d. Ephesians 1:9 Or us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he
e. Ephesians 1:11 Or were made heirs


ABRAHAM AND THE POWER OF PRAYER
with Ted Cooper

When Abraham prayed for the Lord to spare Sodom, was he haggling with God or was he growing in faith? Find out more as Charles explores Genesis 18.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (OCTOBER 26, 2012)

The Ultimate Make-over

2 Corinthians 5:17–6:2


"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
(2 CORINTHIANS 5:17)

We've all seen pretty amazing before-and-after pictures in magazines or on television of people who've had a make-over of some kind. While usually striking, the changes only alter a person's outward appearance. When someone accepts Christ, he becomes a new person from the inside out. That has to be the ultimate make-over!

Forgiveness replaces guilt and condemnation. Turmoil and confusion give way to peace. Rather than always searching for something we can't even define, we are satisfied and content. The Holy Spirit takes up residence within us, and the qualities He brings with Him include "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). As these attributes of the new man grow in us, the fears, anxiety and stress that could overtake us in the past lose their strength. What an exchange! It's one that surely is of more worth than what is available at a high-end boutique or salon. Besides, this new look will remain in style for eternity.

INSIGHT
A NEW LOOK FOR YOUR CLOTHING OR HAIR COULD BE GREAT. BUT THE TRANSFORMATION OF A HEART TURNED TO JESUS IS THE ULTIMATE!

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 12-13
Psalm 6
Matthew 10-11

2 Corinthians 5:17-6:2
New International Version (NIV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
6 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,
“In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”[c]
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Footnotes:
a. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Or Christ, that person is a new creation.
b. 2 Corinthians 5:21 Or be a sin offering
c. 2 Corinthians 6:2 Isaiah 49:8


THE BIBLE IN 90 DAYS
with Ted Cooper

Many Christians have been disappointed for the same reason - they have never read the Bible from cover to cover. One way to fix this is to commit to the challenge of reading the Bible in 90 days.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (OCTOBER 25, 2012)

The Number One Stain Remover

1 John 1:1-9


"'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'"
(ISAIAH 1:18)

I found my large orange cat snuggled against a white pillow for his morning nap. The soft towel on the bed where he usually sleeps must have lost its appeal. I love him, but I dislike the stain left by the oil in his hair where he settles regularly. Removing the mark is a challenge, no matter what the stain removers are on my laundry shelves.

Everyone who has tackled a bit of laundry knows that the right remover used before the mark is too set can bring great results. But no stain remover comes with an unconditional guarantee. Our Father's does! What an unimaginable price He paid for it. He sacrificed the precious life-blood of His only Son, Jesus Christ, the only One whose life was not once marred or tainted by sin, so that all who come to Him will have their sins forgiven.

Many of the stains we've tried ourselves to remove - from the laundry or from our lives - still leave a trace of the dirt or evil. The blood of Christ, however, cleanses from all unrighteousness, leaving us white as snow.


INSIGHT
HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS FOR THE CLEANSING POW'R?
ARE YOU WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB?
(ELISHA A. HOFFMANN, 1878)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 10-11
Psalm 5
Matthew 8-9

1 John 1:1-9
New International Version (NIV)
The Incarnation of the Word of Life
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our[a] joy complete.
Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Footnotes:
a. 1 John 1:4 Some manuscripts your
b. 1 John 1:7 Or every


THE BIBLE IN 90 DAYS
with Ted Cooper

Many Christians have been disappointed for the same reason - they have never read the Bible from cover to cover. One way to fix this is to commit to the challenge of reading the Bible in 90 days.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (OCTOBER 24, 2012)

Joshua 14:6-14

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."
(HEBREWS 10:23)

I love Caleb's declaration in Numbers 13:30: "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." While Moses' other scouts reported discouraging words about Canaan, Joshua and Caleb told the people not to fear.

Israel would not face the strong people of Canaan alone. But if they ignored the power and victory God offered them, they would never defeat Canaan.

Forty-five years later, Caleb still knew and stated that God brought the victory. He and his descendants were blessed to possess the Promised Land. The wait may have been longer than they'd envisioned, but God's purposes for His people prevailed.

The long account of the Israelites' journey from Egypt and slavery into the Promised Land is more than just a good story. It is a picture for us not only of our own prolonged wanderings, but also of how the Lord continues faithfully with us, too. Year in and year out, whether our plans have come to be or not, our faithful God goes before us. Let's hold unswervingly to Him.

INSIGHT
"THE ONE WHO CALLS YOU
IS FAITHFUL AND HE
WILL DO IT."
(1 THESSALONIANS 5:24)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 8-9
Psalm 4
Matthew 6-7

Joshua 14:6-14
New International Version (NIV)
Allotment for Caleb
6 Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, 8 but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly. 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’[a]
10 “Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”
13 Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. 14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.
Footnotes:
a. Joshua 14:9 Deut. 1:36


THE BIBLE IN 90 DAYS [PART 3]
with Kristin Schell

It fails to make the lists - like losing weight or saving money. Yet it's a longing in every Christian, to read the Bible - all the way through. It is possible and it's not as hard as you may think.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (OCTOBER 23, 2012)

Delight of Our Father

Numbers 13:17-33


"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
(ZEPHANIAH 3:17)

The image of a little guy in my Sunday School class is embedded in my memory. To see the joy on his mom's face as he joined the others in our picnic game was grand. In spite of outgoing parents and siblings, he was uncomfortable in most social situations. On this occasion he was laughing and having fun. Although the shyness soon engulfed him again, I'd seen his mother delight in him at that moment.

Regardless of age, we are God's kids. Like children we make mistakes when we try new things. We often fall short. We fail. But the Lord takes delight in us, rejoicing over us whether we are soaring in accomplishment or wallowing in despair. Our God loves us unconditionally, no matter what we do.

Does your life feel like you're wasting 40 years circling the same mountain, Israelite style? Fears mounted as the Israelites learned the Promised Land was full of giants. Take a few steps, even if you stumble. Our Lord - greater than any giant and all our fears - will pick you up and take pleasure in you, His child.

INSIGHT
THE LORD OF ALL CREATION WILL TAKE GREAT DELIGHT
IN YOU!

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 5-7
Psalm 3
Matthew 5

Numbers 13:17-33
New International Version (NIV)
17 When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. 18 See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? 20 How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)
21 So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo Hamath. 22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 When they reached the Valley of Eshkol,[a] they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. 25 At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.
Report on the Exploration
26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.”
30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”
31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”
Footnotes:
a. Numbers 13:23 Eshkol means cluster; also in verse 24


THE BIBLE IN 90 DAYS [PART 2]
with Ted Cooper

Many Christians have been disappointed for the same reason - they have never read the Bible from cover to cover. One way to fix this is to commit to the challenge of reading the Bible in 90 days.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (OCTOBER 22, 2012)

A New Thing

Isaiah 43:15-21


"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."
(ISAIAH 43:19)

Sometimes it's hard to let go of the past and move forward. We want to grasp all the good things ahead of us without releasing what feels safe and familiar. Before long we'll find ourselves in a place of moldy manna, clinging too tightly to what we perceive brings us comfort. When we willingly move on with Jesus, we aren't losing what He has already given us. We're building on it and embracing a greater understanding of Him and His ways.

With God, Israel moved out of the bondage in Egypt through desert trials into the land of promise. They often wished they could just forgo the adventure altogether and return to slavery. How life under such oppression could seem better than the future God planned baffles us. Yet is has a familiar ring to it.

Our prospects take on a whole new dimension when we hang on to the One who knows the way, provides all we need and keeps us safe. Rather than a plunge into the frightening unknown, our journey becomes an adventure with our strong, loving Father.

INSIGHT
MY LORD KNOWS THE WAY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS.
(SIDNEY E. COX)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 3-4
Psalm 2
Matthew 3-4

Isaiah 43:15-21
New International Version (NIV)
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
Israel’s Creator, your King.”
16 This is what the Lord says—
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,
17 who drew out the chariots and horses,
the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
18 “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
20 The wild animals honor me,
the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
21 the people I formed for myself
that they may proclaim my praise.

THE BIBLE IN 90 DAYS [PART 1]

with Ted Cooper

It is possible to read the entire Bible through - cover to cover - in just 90 days! And it's easier than you might think. The high-altitude view of Scripture is beautiful and well-worth the effort. 

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (OCTOBER 21, 2012)

On The Rock

Psalm 62



"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock."
(MATTHEW 7:24)

Children in our Canadian village who lived across the river from the school had to use the bridge on the main street. When the river froze in winter, it was tempting for those whose homes were directly across from the school to walk over on the ice rather than trudge to the middle of town and backtrack several blocks, especially when running late. The ice could be rock-solid, but then it could be treacherous following even a brief thaw. Two of my first-grade classmates learned this when the ice gave way and they fell into the frigid water. Thankfully, they were rescued, and it was a while before anyone risked the shortcut again.

Sometimes life can feel like we're stepping onto thin ice. But with our trust solidly in our Savior, what we step onto will be firm and safe. His Word is our guide. Psalm 62 tells us to remember two things about our Lord: that He is strong and that He is loving. We can move forward in faith this New Year, knowing that He is our Rock and Fortress, and we will not be shaken.


About the writer:

Mary Waind is a retired elementary school teacher/librarian who still lives in the stone house her parents built in the village of Elora, Ontario in 1934. Now busy with writing pursuits, gardening, ice-skating, biking, and spending time with family and friends, she writes this month's Anchor looking ahead to a New Year.

INSIGHT
ON CHRIST, THE SOLID ROCK, I STAND!
(EDWARD MOTE, 1834)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 1-2
Psalm 1
Matthew 1-2


Psalm 62
For Jeduthun, the choir director: A psalm of David.
1 I wait quietly before God,
for my victory comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will never be shaken.

3 So many enemies against one man—
all of them trying to kill me.
To them I’m just a broken-down wall
or a tottering fence.
4 They plan to topple me from my high position.
They delight in telling lies about me.
They praise me to my face
but curse me in their hearts. Interlude

5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
for my hope is in him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will not be shaken.
7 My victory and honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
8 O my people, trust in him at all times.
Pour out your heart to him,
for God is our refuge. Interlude

9 Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind,
and the powerful are not what they appear to be.
If you weigh them on the scales,
together they are lighter than a breath of air.

10 Don’t make your living by extortion
or put your hope in stealing.
And if your wealth increases,
don’t make it the center of your life.

11 God has spoken plainly,
and I have heard it many times:
Power, O God, belongs to you;
12 unfailing love, O Lord, is yours.
Surely you repay all people
according to what they have done.


EVANGELISM EXPLOSION
with John Sorensen

God wants to use you to make a difference in eternity! Are you adequately prepared to share your faith in Jesus? Could you use a little encouragement? It's not as hard as you might think.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (OCTOBER 20, 2012)

In These Last Days...

Hebrews 1


"...but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe."
(HEBREWS 1:2)

Another year has come to an end, and the God of the Bible continues to reveal Himself to mankind through time, first with "In the beginning..." and then "...in these last days." He arranges all things; He orders all things; He appoints all things. The psalmist writes, "all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" (Psalm 139:16).

The time is short, and "this world in its present form is passing away" (1 Corinthians 7:31). But in these "last days" God has "spoken to us by his Son" and He "determined the times" so that "men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us" (Acts 17:27-28).

Is this the LORD's appointed time for you? Do you see that He is not far from you? "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon" (Isaiah 55:6).


INSIGHT
"YOU WILL SEEK ME AND FIND ME WHEN YOU SEEK ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART."
(JEREMIAH 29:13)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Malachi 1-4
Proverbs 31
Revelation 20-22

Hebrews 1
New Living Translation (NLT)
Jesus Christ Is God’s Son
1 Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. 3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. 4 This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names.
The Son Is Greater Than the Angels
5 For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus:
“You are my Son.
Today I have become your Father.[a]”
God also said,
“I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son.”[b]
6 And when he brought his supreme[c] Son into the world, God said,[d]
“Let all of God’s angels worship him.”[e]
7 Regarding the angels, he says,
“He sends his angels like the winds,
his servants like flames of fire.”[f]
8 But to the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.
You rule with a scepter of justice.
9 You love justice and hate evil.
Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you,
pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.”[g]
10 He also says to the Son,
“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth
and made the heavens with your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain forever.
They will wear out like old clothing.
12 You will fold them up like a cloak
and discard them like old clothing.
But you are always the same;
you will live forever.”[h]
13 And God never said to any of the angels,
“Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under your feet.”[i]
14 Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.

THE VERY BEST OF GRAHAM KENDRICK

with Graham Kendrick

Worship is more than music. Its goal must always be to bring glory to God and direct people's hearts toward Christ. Joining Charles Morris on this HAVEN Today is legendary songwriter Graham Kendrick.